I got this email from NCL today.

[billslowsky]

1 minute ago, Topdog52 said:

For me being that late, I will just eat dinner and continue drinking!!! Victoria is a great port to just stay on board and watch the big show in the theater.

I got off because I was curious, I have been to other Canadian cities and always enjoyed just walking around.  On top of that, I didn't want to spend what it cost on the garden admission.  (I had to endure that glass garden in Seattle already, beautiful but one of those excursions was enough).

 

If I ever go back, I might even pay the money and go to the garden for the sake of staying with my group.  I was really disappointed.

[KruzPrincess]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Based upon a single data point that happened to be the first cruise after 18 months.  Let's see what folks are reporting after a few more weeks.

I hope you’re right and I’m sure they’ll make improvements, but they can’t make it as wonderful as getting off the ship downtown. This will affect my future cruise choices. I like NCL and really enjoyed cruising to Alaska on the Bliss. 

[Old & Retired]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Based upon a single data point that happened to be the first cruise after 18 months.  Let's see what folks are reporting after a few more weeks.

No matter how you slice it.  With 4000-5000 passengers packing into the too small Ward Cove port, they will be waiting for too few busses.  Add in the loading and unloading times and you have huge lines and huge waits.  Don't forget your single data point was for a ship slightly over half full.  Things will only get worse at Ward Cove.

[Maplemoose]

Canada is allowing cruise ships back again starting in November. However, all passengers and crew must be fully vaccinated, meaning NCL may have a monopoly, never a good thing for prices. 🤣

[jkrislc]

3 hours ago, KruzPrincess said:

This is Bliss 2022. 

Thanks. I totally missed that.

 

[TashaB]

35 minutes ago, Maplemoose said:

Canada is allowing cruise ships back again starting in November. However, all passengers and crew must be fully vaccinated, meaning NCL may have a monopoly, never a good thing for prices. 🤣

Canada will require that all cruise passengers docking in Canada be fully vaccinated.  Since there are many cruise lines that originate or end in Vancouver for Alaska, Pacific Coastal,  Hawaii and TransPacific and many that stop in Victoria on their return to Seattle,  NCL won't be alone.  This would include ships that stop in the Maritimes on those itineraries.

[Maplemoose]

Tasha, very few cruises will be 100% vaccinated. That is why I am saying maybe only NCL will be able to include Canada on their itinerary. The others will have to cancel, whether they depart from Canada or just visit hete.

[KruzPrincess]

18 minutes ago, Maplemoose said:

Tasha, very few cruises will be 100% vaccinated. That is why I am saying maybe only NCL will be able to include Canada on their itinerary. The others will have to cancel, whether they depart from Canada or just visit hete.

Actually, most of the cruise lines require proof of vaccination. Princess definitely does. They’ll do whatever they need to make it happen. 

[KruzPrincess]

5 hours ago, Old & Retired said:

No matter how you slice it.  With 4000-5000 passengers packing into the too small Ward Cove port, they will be waiting for too few busses.  Add in the loading and unloading times and you have huge lines and huge waits.  Don't forget your single data point was for a ship slightly over half full.  Things will only get worse at Ward Cove.

Did I read that Ward Cove can dock two ships? Imagine how many people that will be. 

[RumRunner2021]

5 hours ago, Old & Retired said:

No matter how you slice it.  With 4000-5000 passengers packing into the too small Ward Cove port, they will be waiting for too few busses.  Add in the loading and unloading times and you have huge lines and huge waits.  Don't forget your single data point was for a ship slightly over half full.  Things will only get worse at Ward Cove.

Right. The minute the ship docks all 4000 passengers want to get on a bus to downtown to wander the streets and buy crap. 

[Old & Retired]

3 hours ago, KruzPrincess said:

Did I read that Ward Cove can dock two ships? Imagine how many people that will be. 

If that were to happen I would demand compensation.  Not sure how7000-8000 people could be taken to town in a timely manner.  Meaning it would take hours and hours.  Ketchikan just doesn't have the ability to shuttle that many people.

[Old & Retired]

3 hours ago, RumRunner2021 said:

Right. The minute the ship docks all 4000 passengers want to get on a bus to downtown to wander the streets and buy crap. 

Naw, you are right.  Most people want to hang on the ship for several hours when they hit a beautiful port in Alaska.  Many probably don't exit the ship until after lunch if at all..............

[kochleffel]

The time in Ketchikan is sufficient for most of the excursions that a cruise passenger might take. Earlier this month I was there - not on a cruise - and had a floatplane tour to Misty Fjords, a photo safari, and a bear tour (by land, not air or sea). Any one of them would fit in the time available. Many of the smaller tour operators will adjust their times to fit the schedule, and of course tours booked through the cruise line will have schedules that work.

 

 

[ChiefMateJRK]

8 hours ago, Old & Retired said:

Naw, you are right.  Most people want to hang on the ship for several hours when they hit a beautiful port in Alaska.  Many probably don't exit the ship until after lunch if at all..............

In my experience, most folks leaving the ship early are taking shore excursions.  Don't the shore excursions pick up folks right at Ward Cove?

[KruzPrincess]

15 hours ago, Old & Retired said:Naw, you are right.  Most people want to hang on the ship for several hours when they hit a beautiful port in Alaska.  Many probably don't exit the ship until after lunch if at all..............

That’s going to be difficult for passengers on the Bliss next year. The ship will be sailing out of Ketchikan while you’re eating lunch. They’ll get excursion people off first. Non-excursion people will be waiting in line, riding shuttles, waiting in line, riding shuttles. They’ll have a brief time to walk around Ketchikan. 

 

I do love the Bliss. 

[jkrislc]

We've been lucky enough to visit Victoria as part of a land vacation, but we have done two of these late in the day visits on cruises, too. I think they are a serious waste, especially on the last night of the cruise when you need to have your bags packed and outside your door. The deadline is usually extended, but do you really want to lose sleep to do so?

 

The last time, we arrived at 4 p.m. which was a bit more manageable and were able to take our son to see Buchard Gardens which we had seen before but he had not. That was pretty cool as we were able to experience it at night, but still a rushed experience.

 

I agree with others to simply stay on the ship and enjoy the last evening onboard.

[4 cruisers]

On 8/17/2021 at 10:44 PM, ChiefMateJRK said:

How much time does one need to shop at the tourist shops in Ketchikan?  After about 30 minutes my head was about to explode.

This port was the worst experience of our many years of cruising!  We waited in line for 45 minutes to buy a bus transfer ticket to Ketchikan from Ward’s landing.  You then got into another line that took another hour.  No water.  No NCL reps.  When we finally got

thw Ketchikan, our friends on Holland America were docked dead center in the city.  NCL really screwed us on the one.  

[4 cruisers]

On 8/5/2021 at 1:45 PM, minnievanmommie said:

 As mike has said the testing was set up at the Marriott for the aug 2nd cruise.  That is where they did it did the aug 2 cruise.   It is directly across the street from the pier and conveniently  located with able space for the testing. 
 

if I remember reading  correctly the Seattle pier isn’t the most cooperative so perhaps NCL had to make alternative measures. We have to take the test somewhere.  
 

No matter what we will find out in about 40 hours! 

 

On 8/5/2021 at 4:23 PM, 4 cruisers said:

But passing on info that might not be correct isn't helpful!  Some people could fret over extra walking!  NCL wanted to know where I heard this because as far as they know, it is incorrect.

 

21 hours ago, RumRunner2021 said:

Right. The minute the ship docks all 4000 passengers want to get on a bus to downtown to wander the streets and buy crap. 

On top of it…we were supposedly at 60%!!!  Trying not

to be negative but NCL let us down BIG TIME😕

[PattyWinters503]

On 8/19/2021 at 9:18 PM, 4 cruisers said:

 

 

On top of it…we were supposedly at 60%!!!  Trying not

to be negative but NCL let us down BIG TIME😕

Ummm.  We were at 50%.  Whoever wrote 4000 was incorrect 100%.  
 

also we did have our tests at the Marriott which is what you quoted me as incorrect information.  
I feel that should you have put in a bit more research you would not feel so let down.  My party and I had an amazing trip! 

[4 cruisers]

On 8/21/2021 at 7:32 PM, minnievanmommie said:

Ummm.  We were at 50%.  Whoever wrote 4000 was incorrect 100%.  
 

also we did have our tests at the Marriott which is what you quoted me as incorrect information.  
I feel that should you have put in a bit more research you would not feel so let down.  My party and I had an amazing trip! 

my info was from NCL guest services.